Automatic impact water motor



Jan. 21, 1930. c. w. BRANsoN 1,744,704

AUTOMATIC IMPACT WATER MOTOR.

Original Filed June l, 1928 2 SheetS-Sheeb 1 25 l INVENTOR. 14./ Branson- -BY 2@ W5( v ATTORNEYS.

Jan. 21, 19-30. c. w. B RANsoN 1,744,704

AUTOMATC IMPACT WATER MOTOR Original Filed June l. 1928 '2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORNEY Patented Jan. 21, 1930 UNITED STATES CHARLES W. BRANSON, F WALLACE, VIRGINIA` AUTOMATIC IMPACT WATER MOTOR Application led June 1, 1928, Serial No. 282,080. Renewed December 13,` 1929.

This invention relates to an automatic impact water motor.

The object or the invention is the construction of a simple and etlicient mechanism tor g utilizing a stream of water, engaging a water wheel, to pump or force water from a source (such as a stream or well) to a storage reservoir, such as a tank,.placed atany desirable point.

Another object of my invention is the imn provenient of the construction of a water wheel, such as is shown in my tathers (John IV. Branson) United States Patent, No.

ments of parts as will vbe hereinafter'fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings:

- igure 1 is a view in side elevation ot an apparatus constructed in accordance with the present invention, while Figure2 is a top plan View of the same.

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary longitudinal sectional view of the water wheel, while y Figure l is a transverse sectional View o lone ot the rims ofthe water wheel.

Figure is a fragmentary perspective View' of the gate-control device.

Figure 6 is an enlarged fragmentary longitudinal sectional view of the water chut-e, showing the gatethereof.

Figure 7 is a sectional view taken on line 7 3', Figure 5.

Retering to the drawingsby numerals, 1 Y ,designateslthe tra-me upon which is suitably lixedly secured'the water wheel 3. Shaft 2' extends into the gearing casing 4 of the pump.` 5. Vhen the water .wheel 3 isrotated, the pump 5 will'be operated for pumping wat-:er from a stream or well through'service pipe 55 6to a suitable reservoir 7 `reservoir 7 may be placed at any desired point, and' I use the word reservoir in a broad sense, meaning a storage tank or the like. In the service pipe,r I place a check valve 8, so that after the water GQT is forced by the valve 8, it can not llowvbackward in the service pipe. Coupled tothev service pipe is a pressure tank 9, provided with a gage 10. The supply pipe 11 extends to the source of supply, such as a stream or well, whereby the pump, when operated', can force water into the vreservoir 7.

The water wheel 3 comprises a pair ofv spaced rims 12. Each rim 12 is provided with an upper liange 13 and a lower flange 14 both 79 of which extend inwardly (Figs. 3 and l). In the flange 13 are'small sockets 15, which I will call outer sockets. The lower flange 14 is provided with large sockets 16, which I will call inner sockets. Therefore, it will be seen that in the inner face of each rim 12, I provide a circumferentialv groove 17, formed between flanges 13 and 14.' This peculiar con-A struction of the rims obviates the costly and complexl triangular shape bars 27. ot' my 8 0; fathers machine, shown in Patent No. 1,006,906, hereinbetore mentioned. The ends of cups 18 are seated in the large inner sockets 16. These cups 18 are adapted to catch the water in propelling the wheel. These cups S5, comprise sections of sheet metal bent upon themselves in U' form, said cups being secured together, by having one edge (Fig. 3) bent as shown atV 19 to form a recess in which the ad--v jacent edge ot the other cup is clampingly engaged, the .cups being thus bound together in a'unitary band. The hanged edges 19 are seated at their ends in the small outer sockets 15. Extending from -the hub of wheel 3. are. spokes 20. Bolts 21 extend through rims12 95 and the outer-ends of the spokes, Jfastening the parts together. Between each two c011- tiguous bolts 21 are intermediary bolts 22; bolts 21 vand 22 securely fasten the peculiarlyY censtructed rims 12 uponthe cups. 1F30 I use the term cups to designate the bent plates that are bent in the form of a U, producing said cups 18. The bolts 21 and 22 are inexpensive, but are very efficient in operation. The ends of the cups fit tightly into the sockets 15 and 16 and groove 17 of the rims, making a very strong water wheel, of relatively light weight, whereby it can be easily rotated by water pouring thereon from the raceway 23.

The raceway 23 is suitably supported upon frame 1, preferably by brackets 24 and 25 (Fig. 1). The raceway is provided with a downwardly swinging gate 26. Gate 26, when open, permits water to discharge into the waste chute or spillway 27. The raceway or water chute 23 is placed so as to receive a stream of water, irrespective as to the source thereof, and with the gate 26 in a closed position, the water flows upon the water wheel 3, revolving the same, and thereby actuating the pump for forcing the water into the reservoir 7. The gate 26 is pivotally mounted at 28 upon the raceway or water chute 23, Fig. 6, and fixedly attached thereto is bracket 29. Fixedly secured to bracket 29 is bell crank arm 30, on the outer end of which is slidably mounted weight 31. A link 32 is connected at its inner end to the upper end of arm 30, and is pivotally mounted at 33 on lugs 34 of the piston casing 35. A piston 36 with bellows 36a (Fig. 7) engages the under face of the outer end of link 32. Broadly speaking, the arm 30 and link 32 constitute a lever that is fastened to gate 26 to open the gate, when the supply or pressure in reservoir 7 is sufficient, as will be hereinafter described.

The lever 37 is pivotally mounted at 38 upon lugs 39 of piston casing 35. A piston 4() with bellows 36a (Fig. 7) bears against the under face of lever 37. The lever 37 is provided with a slidable weight 41. A gage 42v is carried by piston casing 35 to limit the vertical swinging movement of lever 37. A supply pipe 43 has one end attached to pressure tank 9and its other end communicates with valve casing 44, so that water under pressure is supplied to valve casing 44, and is also supplied, through pipe 45, to the piston casing 35 under the piston 40. A valve stem 46 (Fig. 5) extends into the valve casing 44 to operate an ordinary rotary valve therein. Fixedly secured to the outer end of stem 46 is plate 47. A link 48 adjustably connects lever 37 and plate 47 ,whereby when lever 37 moves downwardly, by reason of piston 40'doing likewise, valve in casing 44 opens to allow water under pressure to pass in under piston 36, forcing the piston upwardly, thereby swinging link 32 downwardly at the gate end, which results in the gate 26 swinging downwardly and allow.- ing the water to pass onto the chute or spillway 27. lVhen the supply or pressure in reservoir 7 is lowered, thereby automatically lowering the pressure in tank 9, the lever 37 is lowered, as hereinbefore stated, which results in the finger 49 (Fig. 5) pressing downwardly on arm 50, actuating the ordinary relief valve in valve casing 51, permitting any water or pressure acting upon the top of piston 36 to exhaust outwardly through pipe 52, and thence through waste pipe 53. Therefore, the operation of the gate-control device is as follows: Vhen the supply is not sufficient in reservoir 7, the water or pressure in pipe 43 and 45 and piston casing 35 will continue to hold the piston 40 up against the lever 37, but when the supply in reservoir 7 is sufficient, the pressure in piston casing 35 above piston 36 is exhausted through pipe 52, valve casing 51 and pipe 53, with the lever 37 lowered, which opens the valve in casing 44, allowing water or pressure to pass into piston casing 35 under piston 36, raising the outer end of link 32, which forces the inner end of link 32 downwardly, thereby swinging gate 26 downwardly and allowing the water passing through water chute 23 to spill or waste away through chute 27. Then upon the supply in reservoir 7 being lowered and more water desired, the pressure will be removed from the bottom of piston 36, allowing the gate 26 to close, whereupon the flow of water will be permitted onto water wheel 3, thereby rotating the water wheel to operate-the pump 5 for forcing the water from the source of supply through the supply pipe to the reservoir 7. It will, therefore, be seen that I have provided automatic means for holding the gate 26 closed while Water is needed in the reservoir 7, but when .a suiiicient supply has been placed in the reesrvoir, then automatic means is provided for opening the gate 26 which results in the stopping of the water wheel and the consequent stopping of the pump.

Vhile I have described the preferred embodiment of my invention and illustrated the same in the accompanying drawings, certain minor changes or alterations may appear to one skilled in the art to which this invention relates, during the extensive manufacture of the same, and I therefore, reserve the right to make such changes or alterations as shall fairly fall within the scope of the appended claims.

1. In a water motor, the combination with a frame, a shaft journalled on said frame, of a water wheel ixedly secured to said shaft, said water wheel comprising spaced rims, said rims provided on their inner faces with circumferential grooves and with cup-receiving sockets at opposite edges of each groove, and cups provided with their ends in said sockets and grooves.

2. In a water motor, the combination with a frame, a shaft journalled on said frame,

of a water Wheel Xedly secured to said shaft, said Water Wheel comprising spokes, spaced rims supported by said spokes, each rim provided on its inner face With inner and outer inwardly extending ianges, said inner flange provided with large sockets, said outer flange provided With small sockets, said iianges producing a circumferential groove therebetween, cups having open ends and closed bottoms and flanged edges, said bottoms seated in the large sockets of the rims and said flanged edges seated in said small sockets, said cups having their ends also seated in and closed by said grooves of said rims, and bolts positioned in some of said cups and spaced from their sides, bottom and top and extending through said rims and spokes holding the parts together.

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature.

CHARLES W. BRANSON. 

